Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against The Standard
Fields Law Firm successfully recovers millions of dollars each year for our disabled clients throughout the United States. Our Long Term Disability experience is matched by very few other law firms in the country and has earned us a national reputation.
Here are just a few examples of our Long Term Disability appeal case wins against The Standard.
Eileen – Legal Assistant – Farmingdale, New York
Vestibular Dysfunction, Nausea, Dizziness, Migraines
A New York woman worked as a Legal Assistant for several decades before contracting a mysterious virus, and developing Vestibular Dysfunction with associated conditions. She began suffering intense nausea, dizziness and migraines whenever she was subjected to visual or auditory stimulation. Living and working around New York City, this soon became a serious problem and she was forced to stop working, as a result.
She applied for Long Term Disability benefits through her insurance company. However, after 6 months of silence, the insurer sent her a letter denying her claim for benefits. The denial letter claimed her medical documentation did not support functional limitations which would preclude her from performing the material duties of her own occupation.
Knowing she needed help to fight the insurance company, she contacted Fields Law for help. Fields Law put a team of attorneys on her case, and began gathering the extensive documentation needed to prove her disability. The Fields Law team worked with her medical providers to produce a detailed narrative report, which contradicted the insurer’s internally generated “expert” medical reviews. When considering the appeal, the insurer had no choice but to approve benefits. Our client’s benefits were reinstated, and she received an additional check for back-pay of her missed benefits.
Lewis – Warehouse Worker and Forklift Operator – Montgomery, Mississippi
Intractable Migraines
A Mississippi man who worked in a warehouse and drove a forklift suddenly developed excruciating, intractable migraine headaches. His headaches, at times, became so penetrating he couldn’t see straight nor maintain his balance, and would frequently need to sit down until these terrifying episodes would go away. His doctors ordered MRI scans which did not reveal abnormalities in his brain. Bravely, he continued with his job. Eventually, out of fear of hurting fellow co-workers, not to mention damaging one of the businesses few forklifts, he filed for disability. He was granted disability payments for a period of time. After a medical review and discovering a lack of abnormal findings on MRI or CT scans, The Standard made the decision to discontinue benefits and cease disability payments.
He needed help working with The Standard and came to Fields Law Firm. Our attorneys gathered supporting documentation from his medical providers, and built a flawless case to support his claim for Long Term Disability benefits. Our team of attorneys presented an appeal asserting that The Standard selectively ignored evidence in his records and failed to properly recognize our client’s debilitating migraines, which qualified him as disabled under the policy. The Standard overturned its decision, granting the Long Term Disability benefits he deserved. He was happy with the result and soon began to receive regular checks in the mail.
Mary – Computer Support Specialist – St. Louis, Missouri
Crohn’s Disease
A Computer Support Specialist from Missouri had been suffering from severe disabling abdominal pain and joint pain secondary to her chronic Crohn’s conditions. Because of the chronic pain these conditions caused, she was forced to leave work on doctor’s recommendations. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits, which were denied at application. The Standard had obtained a questionnaire completed by her shoulder surgeon who was unfamiliar with her Crohn’s conditions. The surgeon stated that she had fully recovered from her shoulder surgery and was therefore capable of returning to her sedentary computer support specialist job.
Knowing she needed help to maintain her income, she contacted the attorneys at Fields Law. The team at Fields Law requested The Standard’s claim file and thoroughly reviewed the internal notes for flaws in their analysis, requested letters of support from our client’s doctors and put together an appeal of The Standard’s denial decision. Further, Fields Law attorneys coordinated with our client’s providers and obtained updated medical records. When the appeal was submitted, the updated records obtained more than doubled The Standard’s original claim file. With the updated medical records submitted in support of our client’s appeal, they were forced to eventually approve the Fields Law appeal and continue to pay our client’s disability benefits.
